1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to storage systems and more particularly relates to carousel-type storage systems having movable storage bins attached to a frame or track.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Various industries have dedicated considerable time, effort and money to develop large capacity retrieval systems. These storage systems typically comprise a group of movable storage bins that are coupled to a stationary frame. The bins may have an overall height of approximately 30-40 feet. These storage systems are designed to conserve valuable space in a warehouse or factory and facilitate increased productivity since the stored articles can be positioned closer to operators.
One such storage system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,688, which provides for the storage, transportation and retrieval of documents, file folders and the like. The system includes a plurality of movable storage racks that are coupled to an oblong track, the storage racks being driven on the track by a motor.
In order to increase access to items stored within storage bins, certain preferred embodiments of commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,335 disclose a storage and retrieval system that simultaneously provides access to two side-by-side storage units. Each storage unit has first and second access faces. A first storage portion is accessible from one access face, and a second storage portion is accessible from the opposite access face. A conveyor can be operated so that the first access face of a first bin and the second access face of a second bin confront one another, thereby enabling an operator to simultaneously retrieve articles from both bins.
In certain preferred embodiments of commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,872, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, a storage, transportation and retrieval system, and accompanying storage racks, are provided for increasing the effective storage capacity of the storage system. The storage system provides for simultaneous access to two adjacent storage racks, thereby requiring less call-ups to locate desired items. The system may be arranged so that it occupies less area.
Referring to FIG. 1, the storage and retrieval carousel 10 of the ""872 patent is a bottom drive horizontal carousel including a frame structure 12 and a plurality of storage racks 14 moveably connected to the frame structure 12. Drive mechanism 16 is depicted in a broken away area of FIG. 1, as are rollers 18 and guide track 20. A guide bar 22 facilitates the suspension and/or support of the individual storage racks at the frame structure 12. The storage racks 14 may be box-like members, which are enclosed on their top, bottom, front and rear sides. Several storage compartments are provided on the sides of each storage rack 14, thereby providing access to articles stored therein from either side of the storage rack.
Storage racks such as those described above, typically have a substantial vertical height which can be approximately 10-15 feet or higher. The storage rack 14 shown in FIG. 2A has an upper end 24 coupled to a movable conveyor 26 and a lower end 28 guided along a path by runners 30 coupled with track 32. FIG. 2A shows the storage bin in a stationary position. When an operator moves the conveyor 26 in order to gain access to one of the storage bins, the conveyor accelerates in a first direction indicated by arrow A1, as shown in FIG. 2B. Due to the substantial height of the. storage bin, and in response to forces exerted upon the bin during movement, the storage bin may buckle or bow. As a result, the buckling or bowing storage bin may contact adjacent bins. Such contact is highly undesirable and may cause damage to the bins or the conveyor system. In order to combat this problem, systems have been designed that provide extra space between adjacent bins to account for buckling. However, the need to provide for extra space between adjacent bins reduces the overall capacity of the storage system.
FIGS. 3A-3C show another problem encountered when moving storage bins attached to a conveyor system. In FIG. 3A, the storage bin is in a stationary position. In FIG. 3B, the storage bin is being moved in a direction indicated by arrow A1. As the storage bin moves, the upper and lower ends of the bin may twist or turn relative to one another. As shown in FIG. 3C, when the conveyor is later decelerated to stop movement of the bins, the bin may twist or turn in the opposite direction. This torsional movement during start-up and stopping of the carousel may ultimately result in permanent deformation of the bins. Such torsional movement may also result in shifting of the items stored in the bins.
Thus, there is a need for a storage system wherein the respective bins have sufficient structural rigidity so as to prevent buckling and/or torsional movement of the bins during start-up and stopping of the carousel. Such a system will allow the respective bins to be positioned closer together, without worrying about adjacent bins contacting each other. Thus, such a system will enable a maximum number of bins to be coupled to the frame, thereby increasing the overall capacity of the system.
In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a storage bin assembly attachable to a movable carousel-type frame has first and second sidewalls, a backwall and an opening extending along a front face to thereof. The assembly preferably includes a first substantially L-shaped support member including the first sidewall and a first portion of the backwall. The first backwall portion is preferably integrally connected to the first sidewall to form a substantially L-shaped support member having a unitary structure. The assembly also preferably includes a second substantially L-shaped support member including the second sidewall and a second portion of the backwall. The second backwall portion is also preferably integrally connected to the second sidewall to form a substantially L-shaped support member having a unitary structure. During assembly of the storage bin, the first and second support members are preferably configured so that the first and second sidewalls extend in directions that are substantially parallel to one another and the first and second backwall portions extend toward one another. In other words, the inner surfaces of the first and second sidewalls confront one another. In certain preferred embodiments, the first and second portions of the backwall are spaced apart from one another so as to define a longitudinal gap therebetween. The longitudinal gap preferably extends between upper and lower ends of the support members. In other embodiments, the storage bin may be assembled so that the first and second backwall portions engage one another, or overlap with one another.
Each of the first and second support members preferably has an upper end and a lower end. The assembly preferably includes an upper plate secured to the upper ends of the support members and a lower plate secured to the lower ends of the support members. The upper and lower plates preferably enhance the structural integrity of the assembly. The attachment of the upper and lower plates may provide an assembly that does not buckle, bend or twist, as shown and described above. In still other embodiments, a horizontal plate or bar may extend between the first and second sidewalls, at an intermediate point located between the upper and lower ends of the support members. The horizontal plate or bar may add still further structural rigidity to the storage bin assembly.
The first and second sidewalls desirably include front edges remote from the backwall of the assembly and extending between the upper and lower ends of the respective support members. When the storage bin is fully assembled, the front edges of the first and second sidewalls preferably define a front face of the bin assembly. The front edges of the first and second sidewalls may include guide flanges. The guide flanges preferably project away from the backwall of the assembly. The guide flanges also desirably extend away from one another. The guide flanges preferably extend along the front face of the assemblies, between the upper and lower ends of the first and second support members. The guide flanges are designed to direct an article into a storage slot as the article is being placed in one of the slots. Providing guide flanges along the front face of the storage bin assembly provides a dramatic improvement over prior art storage bins that have blunt front edges. In these prior art systems, the front edges are likely to catch or snag an article as the article is being stored within the storage bin.
The storage bin assembly also preferably includes a plurality of shelves that are attached to the first and second support members. The shelves preferably extend from the backwall of the assembly and between the first and second sidewalls. Each shelf preferably includes a front edge, a rear edge having one or more rear hooks and first and second side edges extending between the front and rear edges. The first and second side edges preferably include one or more side or lateral hooks extending therefrom. In certain preferred embodiments, the first and second backwall portions include a plurality of openings extending therethrough for securing the rear hooks of the shelf therein. In turn, the first and second sidewalls also include a plurality of openings extending therethrough for receiving the side hooks of the shelf. As a result, the shelf may be secured at a location within the assembly by placing the rear and side hooks through the openings in the respective back and sidewalls. In other preferred embodiments, the shelves may comprise sheet metal that may be bolted in place.
In certain preferred embodiments, the shelves include first support rods that extend in directions substantially parallel to the front and rear edges of the shelf. The opposite ends of at least one of the first support rods include the side hooks described above. The shelf also preferably includes second support rods extending in directions substantially perpendicular to the first support rods. As mentioned above, the rearward ends of the second support rods preferably have rear hooks. The forward end of each second support rods is preferably integrally connected to an adjacent second support rod. The forward ends of the adjacent, integrally connected, second support rods are preferably connected by a U-shaped or loop-like structure.
The first and second substantially L-shaped support members are preferably made using a metal blank, such as a sheet metal blank. A plurality of openings adapted to receive the rear and side hooks of the shelves are then punched through the metal blank. A crease may then be formed in the metal blank, the crease defining the sidewall and backwall portion of each L-shaped support member. The forward edge of each sidewall is then bent outwardly to form the outwardly extending guide flange. The outwardly extending guide flange serves two functions. The first function is to improve the structural rigidity of the forward edge of the sidewall. The second function is to provide a guide for articles being stored within one of the storage slots of the storage bin assembly. The unitary construction of the support members also enhances the structural rigidity of the storage bin assembly. Specifically, the crease formed between the sidewalls and the backwall portions improves the rigidity of the overall assembly, thereby minimizing the buckling, bending and/or twisting problems described above.
In accordance with further preferred embodiments of the present invention, a storage bin assembly includes first and second sidewalls and a backwall. The assembly includes a first unitary support comprising the first sidewall and a first portion of the backwall, the first backwall portion being integrally connected to the first sidewall. The assembly also includes a second unitary support comprising the second sidewall and a second portion of the backwall, the second backwall portion being integrally connected to the second sidewall. The assembly also includes an upper support plate attached to upper ends of the first and second support members and a lower support plate attached to lower ends of the first and second support members. After assembly, the first and second sidewalls preferably extend in directions that are substantially parallel to one another. The first and second portions of the backwall preferably extend in directions that are substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls. Thus, the first and second supports formed substantially L-shaped structures whereby the shorter leg of the xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d is the backwall portion and the longer leg of the xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d is the sidewall of the support member. In certain preferred embodiments, the storage bin assembly desirably includes a plurality of shelves attached to the first and second support members. The shelves are preferably in substantial vertical alignment with one another, each pair of adjacent shelves defining a storage slot adapted to receive one or more articles, such as a box.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a storage bin assembly has first and second sidewalls, a backwall and a front opening remote from the backwall. The assembly preferably includes a first substantially L-shaped support having an upper end and a lower end, the first support including the first sidewall and a first portion of the backwall. The assembly also preferably includes a second substantially L-shaped support having an upper end and a lower end, the second support including the second sidewall and a second portion of the backwall. The first and second sidewalls desirably include front edges remote from the backwall and extending between the upper and lower edges of said support members. The front edges of the first and second sidewalls preferably include outwardly extending flanges that extend away from one another and away from the backwall of the assembly. The outwardly extending flanges desirably improve the tolerance for storing articles within the storage bin. As a result, the outer dimensions of articles being stored in the slots may more closely match the inner dimensions of the bin opening. The storage bin assembly may also include an upper support plate attached to the upper ends of the first and second support members and a lower plate attached to the lower ends of the first and second support members.
In still further preferred embodiments of the present invention, a carousel-type storage system includes a frame for supporting storage bin assemblies, with one or more storage bin assemblies being movably coupled to the frame. Each storage bin assembly that is movably coupled to the frame preferably includes a first substantially L-shaped support member having a first sidewall and a first portion of a backwall, the first backwall portion being integrally connected to the first sidewall. Each storage bin assembly also preferably includes a second substantially L-shaped support member including a second sidewall and a second portion of a backwall, the second backwall portion being integrally connected to the second sidewall. A plurality of shelves are preferably attached to the first and second support members to provide a plurality of storage slots for storing articles within the storage bins attached to the carousel.
These and other preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below and in the claims appended hereto.